Greg Elsnic TEAM DIRECTOR
35-39 CHICAGO, IL
TEAM CO- DIRECTOR "Greg Elsnic took up running in an attempt to complete the 2003 Chicago Marathon after accepting a dare. Since then, he has run the 7 marathons with a 2:58 personal best and a 3-hour Boston Marathon finish to his credit.
After meeting Team Director Guy Petruzzelli through their mutual professions, Greg took up triathlons in 2005 with the St. Anthony's Triathlon in Tampa, FL and the Accenture Triathlon in Chicago. Greg switched to duathlons following Accenture and hasn't looked back since. Focussing on sprint and international duathlons, Greg is likely to be found in the top of his age group at most races and is climbing closer to top-10 finishes overall.
2009 will find Greg adding triathlons back into the schedule, with plans to race the entire Accenture weekend in Chicago and a possible entry in the inaugural New Orleans 70.3 triathlon. In addition, Greg will be a part of the Team Elite's contingent this year at American Zofingen, a long-course duathlon described by some as even more challenging than the Kona World Championship."
55-59 ROSCOE, IL
A Professional Photographer, Gary is a 28 year (and counting...) veteran of triathlon competition. During that time, he has been fortunate enough to work with some of the most prominent coaches to help progress to a high level. He has been named USAT All-American 4 times, and has qualified for 4 USA Teams for the ITU Long Distance World Championships, competing in France, Denmark, and Spain. His Ironman efforts have garnered a number of podium finishes, and 2 trips to the Ironman World Championships in Kona.
While training on his bike in Florida, a driver ran a stop sign and broadsided Gary, causing soft tissue injuries that were expected to end his racing. The ensuing rehab over the course of 4 years, while difficult and costly, has only strengthened Gary’s resolve to return to the top of his age group. The progress has been slow, but steady, and small victories have led to larger ones. 2009 looks to be a banner year in his quest to return to the elite ranks of his age group.
Gary gives back to the sport by getting others involved in participating and volunteering. He started a local triathlon club that numbered over 100 members in its initial year. He has been instrumental in getting 2 local races started that provide a venue for both veteran and new competitors. He also has worked with sponsors in an effort to grow the sport, and enhance their product offerings. Gary and his family have also been active in organizing and developing Special Olympics since it’s inception. Gary is also a cancer survivor, and works to aid those afflicted to chase their dreams in an effort to enhance quality of life. He aspires to be a role model for both old and young, and feels that being active and participating provides both social, physiological and mental growth for anyone willing to try, no matter the age or level of ability.
Gary is truly honored and excited to be selected to be a member of the Mideast Elite Team, and will strive to enhance the reputation of the team through results, encouraging others, and working with sponsors to provide them an outlet to develop and showcase their offerings to the sport.
20-24 MARION, IN
Additionally, he is the president of the IWU Cycling and Triathlon Club; spending a lot of time planning events for club and the university to take part in that will help people achieve a more active lifestyle. Mike has recruited several new members this year and convinced about five people to participate in their first triathlon, and one person to run their first marathon. The events his club plans helps to pay for club members’ uniforms and race entry fees to help them get more involved in the sport where they live. Keeping a balanced life can be difficult when training for three sports. He tries to keep his priorities straight by keeping I Timothy 4:8 in the front of his mind. It is tattooed on his shoulder blade next to the Ironman logo as a constant reminder that athletic accomplishments are just a wisp of smoke that are quickly forgotten and essentialy they have little significance in the big picture.
35-39 PERRYSBURG, OH
Scott has been competing in endurance sports for 17 years. During this time, he has raced in 11 international Ironman triathlons and qualified for the Ironman World Championships. In addition, he is a certified USA Triathlon Coach, USA Cycling Coach, and an EMT-B. He also is a graduate of the University of Toledo and is currently pursuing a M.S.S. in Sports Medicine. Over the past few years, he has consistently placed in the top 5% and believes that achieving balance in life is essential to achieving goals. Being a quality athlete involves more than just training hard, it requires both a strong code of ethics and a certain state of mind. He believes that finding and maintaining balance will result in longevity and success. Scott is the owner of Bella multisport Coaching and manager of Dave’s Performance Footgear. His greatest joy is being a father of two and sipping on red vino w/ his wife after a good day of training.
Greg started doing multisport races competitively in 2007. He has a running background and enjoyed cycling so duathlons were a natural fit. Since beginning duathlons, Greg has won the regional duathlon championships the past two years and was an all American in 07'. He is now focusing on doing his first Ironman (Ironman Louisville 09') but still looks forward to competing in duathlons.
In his personal time, he is a multisport coach with innovativeendurance.com and enjoys his job at Kohl's Dept. Store as store security.
35-39 CHICAGO, IL
Steve Janowiak graduated from Northwestern University and started in the sport of triathlon in 1996 after being in the United States Army as an Airborne Combat Engineer. He continues to use the sport to raise awareness and fundraise for the Aplastic Anemia and MDS International Foundation (www.aamds.org). Notable races he has competed in are: several Wild Onion 24-hour Adventure Races, Chicago Marathons, Chicago Accenture Triathlons, Ironman Triathlons (including 2 Ironman races in one week). Steve continues to enjoy pushing limits in all areas of his life. "You have not tasted success until you have succeeded at something you truly not thought possible."
Meghan Lapeta
16-19
CHICAGO, IL
Starting on ice skates at two, Meghan Lapeta has always been a competitor. She’s tried lots of different activities from ballet to sailing, softball to soccer, speed skating to rock climbing. Her name is on two NIHL State Championship Flags and was also a member of a NWHL Champion bantam boys’ hockey team. She’s been on two different junior national teams, USA Luge and USA Triathlon. She’s competed in National Championships or World Qualifiers in three sports – Luge, Cycling and Triathlon.
Meghan has been competing in triathlon since 1997. Her first triathlon was the Mad Duck in Michigan as a six year old. Although she finished fourth out of four, she never gave up her passion to compete, especially in the sport of triathlon. Meghan now races as a junior elite for ITU triathlon. Her age bracket is 16-19. She qualified for and competed in the 2007 Junior Elite Championship in Hamburg, Germany. After a multiple person bike crash that sent her to the back of the pack, she finished 51st with a scraped up back and determination in her eyes. She also competed in the 2008 Junior Pan Am triathlon in Mazatlan, Mexico, and the spring 2009 Junior Pan Am Triathlon in Oklahoma City. She was a member of the 2008 USA Junior Elite National Triathlon Team. She is a five-time ITU All-American (Olympic style triathlon). Meghan completed her first half ironman on September 9, 2008 in Santa Cruz as a seventeen year old. After five and a half hours in the blazing sun, she came away with a big tiki as her age group trophy, and a lobster sunburn.
Nothing has ever stopped Meghan from training to her heart’s content. She will be attending the University Of Illinois at Chicago. She may study chemical engineering. During the next four years at college, she will keep up her triathlon adventure.
Some goals: complete a full Ironman, qualify more elite world championships, improve 5k and 10k times, jump out of a plane (with a fully functioning parachute, of course), and qualify for the Olympics 2016 (Chicago!) for either triathlon or cycling.
Rick Lapinski
25-29
WESTMONT, IL
Rick
is married and is a teacher in the western suburbs of Chicago. He
started his triathlon career after a successful collegiate soccer
career at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. He had the
competitive fire still burning and decided to take his training from
soccer into the world of triathlon. Rick has posted some solid results
including an age-group win at the Xterra Triathlon held in Milwaukee,
WI. This just helped to fuel the fire and solidified the decision to
live the multisport lifestyle. For Rick there is nothing like the
feeling of accomplishing a goal that he sets out to achieve on a daily
basis.
Andrea Myers
30-34
WELLSTON, OH
Scott Myers
30-34
WELLSTON, OH
35-39 CHICAGO, IL
Chris Vincent
45-49 JACKSON, MI
Chris Vincent got into racing later in life when she did her first 5K at age 38. She won overall and from there she was hooked. While she loves running, she loves biking almost as much and hopes to improve in that discipline as well as the third and one she's not most fond of, the "swim." She has won the Lansing and Jackson overall running title for several years and has also raced in the World's Long Course Duathlon for Team USA in 2007. She is really hoping to repeat that feat again in 2009. Chris is married to Jack and has three boys. She is also a paralegal at a Jackson law firm and is on the school board.
Matt West
30-34 AUGUSTA TOWNSHIP, MI
Chris Wickard
35-39
Chris began
swimming competitively at the age of 7. She swam her freshman year at
Valparaiso University. During her time at V.U., she took up running
and soon after graduation she began to bike. Her first triathlon was
on a mountain bike and she was hooked. Chris has been competing in
triathlons for 13 years. During those 13 years, she gave birth to two
boys, Jake and Ryan. She has represented Indiana at the Best of the
U.S. Triathlon for the last 4 years, been USAT All-American for the
last 5 years, won the overall amateur female title at the Chicago
triathlon twice and won the overall female title in 20 of her races in
the last 4 years.
Chris says, “I am very fortunate to have the support of my husband,
friends and family. I really enjoy the camaraderie that the sport of
triathlons brings. I love meeting new people, sharing stories and
having fun.”
Chris has been working for Biosound Esaote for over 15 years. In her
spare time, Chris teaches a boot camp class, reading and spending time
with her family.
Her motto is “if it doesn't kill you, it will make you grow stronger,
and smarter, healthier, happier, and way more interesting!”
Chris, her husband David and their two boys reside in Crown Point, IN.
Liz Young
45-49
Liz considers herself to still be a newbie to the sport even though she is probably one of the oldest on this team. She was 42 when she first raced and has raced for 4 years and has about 25 races under her belt with hardware for about ½ of those including coming back from a car accident. (Not her fault). She is a retired health and physical education teacher who now works full time for "Dave’s Performance Footgear" the oldest running shop in Ohio. She is the current President of Team Toledo Triathlon Club, the Mid-East Champions for 2007 and 2008, soon to step back to President-Elect. She was voted Team Toledo Member of the Year for 2007. Since Liz became a board member of Team Toledo, the club has grown from around 168 members to well over 300, with 40% women. She talks "Tri" wherever she goes. She is married to Russ (head of spousal support for TT) and has 2 kids, Marc age 20 who now competes in Tri’s and Sammie age 7 who just did her first Tri this past summer. While she doesn’t think of herself as a speedy type racer, her motto is always "TRI" and always finish unless they have to carry you off the course. It’s about giving your all no matter what the outcome. She is extremely passionate about spreading the news of multisport to anyone and everyone and says "dream the impossible, you can make it happen."
